How To Punch In Effective Combinations For Self-Defense

Today, we’re going to learn how to punch in effective combinations for self defense. Punching and combinations is very important and to kind of understand the concept you have to understand this idea of of natural loading. The idea is that when you throw one punch, your body is already naturally loaded to throw a certain punch versus another one.

Punch In Effective Combinations: How It Works

So, if I throw a right hand, I’m more lined up and more loaded to throw the left hook then another right hand because I would have to kind of reset the throw for a second right hand. So the idea here is that some punches naturally follow other punches. That’s what we’re doing. That’s how we base our combinations on this idea.

Principle One: The 1-2 Punch

So, the first one that I want you to learn – the first combination – is the good old fashioned one-two. All you do is you throw the jab and then you throw the right hand right behind it. You know it’s just that natural loading here. Step and a drag. You put the one-two together – the jab and then the cross. Jab and straight right. Be nice and loose with it. All the footwork, all the body mechanics is the same that we’ve been looking at before.

It’s a step and a drag step. All that’s the same. It’s the rhythm here. One-two, one-two, one-two. Keep good form. When the hands are not punching, make sure they are guarding your face. Keep that technique in mind. Leg work is same as step and twist. Drag, step, all that stuff from before. So, that’s the first combination.

The 1-2 Punch

Principle Two: Right Hand Left Hook Or Vice Versa

So, the second Combination is a right hand left hook or left hand right hook. They go together. So this is how you start:

I throw my right hand, I’m loaded for the left hook. This is natural loading principle. Throw to the right, come back to the left. We don’t have to start with the right. You could have the left first. Because they go together.

Right Hand Left Hook

Principle Three: Right Hook, Left Hook

Right hook left hook is a great one too. Or, they go together left hook right hook. Either way it works. The idea is that they just fit because of the way the body works.

There’s always this kind of left right left right left right situation. Hook, left right with the hooks, left right with the uppercuts too. So it’s all the same principle – left right on the one-two. It could be a right left – Right Hand Left Hook. But these go together. Left hook right hook goes together. Right uppercut left hook goes together.

Left Right With The Uppercuts

Principle Four: Back And Forth

Once you understand this concept you can start putting together. I could put just uppercuts together – left right. And then when I get back to that I can switch smoothly and transitioned into another combination – The back and forth.

That’s what you want to do. You want to work out your combinations in two’s – starting out throwing two punches. And then build into force 1-2-3-4. So it goes 2-4-6 and 8. That’s how you really build it up to 1-2-3-4-5-6 . Grow it up to 8. This is how you build combinations. You start with your A.B.C. before you read Shakespeare. You start with your Two’s or your combination of twos before you build the four six and eight. You put all that together. So you get the idea here. That’s a right hand left hand combination. This takes advantage of the natural body loading principle. This is how you build combinations.

Back And Forth. Start with your Two’s

Principle Five: Make Up Your Own Combinations

Once you understand this principle, you can start making up your own combinations. No jab cross hook. It’s a classic. You make 3 punch combinations, 15 punch combinations. You know how they fit together. With the understand the the natural loading principle that right punch is typically followed by a left punch. I’m not saying that you can’t ever double up. I can go a double hook I want to. That’s fine. But right now in the beginning, I think it’s best to stick with this idea.

Make Up Your Own Combinations

Principle Six: The 30 Second Flurry

So, you develop your combinations that way and then practice things like a 30 second Flurry. Once you get everything down you know how they kind of fit together. So watch a clock and then flurry for like 30 seconds. It’s a great workout and it’s great for self defense.

Practice 30 Second Flurry

Summary: Things We Learned

To summarize, it’s crucial for your self defense to learn how to punch in effective combinations. I hope you’ll find this lesson really helpful. Just practice the steps and get yourself ready for self defense.

Father of eight, Dr. Scott Sullivan is the chief instructor at Bam Bam Martial Arts in Houston, TX. He holds a doctorate in philosophy from the University of St. Thomas and is a seasoned martial arts instructor with over 30 years of experience. A firm believer that martial arts really does help people become more fit, safe, and happy, he remains vigilant about helping people improve their lives through martial arts.

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